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To: Vicomte13
The reason there weren't as many Indian dead as European dead in the World Wars is because there weren't as many Indians. The Cherokee Trail of Tears was genocide, pure and simple.

Cherokee Trail of Tears? Genocide? Words have meanings. "Genocide is generally considered one of the worst moral crimes a government (meaning any ruling authority, including that of a guerrilla group, a quasi state, a Soviet, a terrorist organization, or an occupation authority) can commit against its citizens or those it controls. The major reason for this is what the world learned about the Holocaust, the systematic attempt of German authorities during World War II to kill all and every Jew no matter where found-to destroy Jews as a group. This murder of between 5 to 6 million Jews became the paradigm case of genocide and underlies the word's origin."

It was an intentional death march, carried out by the United States Army, under the orders of the President of the United States, in the dead of winter, with the foreknowledge of the conditions and callous disregard (at BEST) for the certitude of a massive death toll among children, the ill and the ages.

Was the Bataan Death March genocide? The Irish Potato Famine?

" Fifteen thousand captives still awaited removal. Crowding, poor sanitation, and drought made them miserable. Many died. The Cherokees asked to postpone removal until the fall, and to voluntarily remove themselves. The delay was granted, provided they remain in internment camps until travel resumed.

By November, 12 groups of 1,000 each were trudging 800 miles overland to the west. The last party, including Chief Ross, went by water. Now, heavy autumn rains and hundreds of wagons on the muddy route made roads impassable; little grazing and game could be found to supplement meager rations

By March 1839, all survivors had arrived in the west. No one knows how many died throughout the ordeal, but the trip was especially hard on infants, children, and the elderly. Missionary doctor Elizur Butler, who accompanied the Cherokees, estimated that over 4,000 died--nearly a fifth of the Cherokee population.

This is genocide? On the scale of the Holocaust? 4000 deaths? Who murdered them? There is no doubt that the native Americans were displaced by the European settlers. Atrocities were committed on both sides, but such incidents are not unusual from an historical standpoint regardless of where it took place. The Europeans did it in Africa and Asia on a much grander scale.

Slavery was a legacy of the colonial past, which the US was perfectly willing to accept and exploit for four score and nine years, and then to maintain apartheid for another hundred. THAT was not the fault of the British. It was homegrown American evil, pur et dur.

Slavery was abolished in many states before the civil war. There were approximately 600,000 deaths in the civil war and 400,000 wounded. Only WWII casualty figures exceeded those of the civil war and just barely. Property damage was immense. I don't know how that demonstrates a willingess to accept slavery.

Segregation does not equate to apartheid. De jure segregation was not practiced in most states. I have lived a total of 25 years in 9 different countries and travelled to 55 more. The US is the most tolerant country on the planet and no country has a population as diverse. We are not perfect, but America has done a better job of assimilating its many immigrants than any country on earth.

195 posted on 12/15/2006 2:17:48 PM PST by kabar
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To: kabar

38 million dead babies since 1973.
Genocide.


204 posted on 12/15/2006 3:50:19 PM PST by Vicomte13 (Aure entuluva.)
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